POWER FOR TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1925, Page 7

POWER FOR TARANAKI

PROGRESS OF TARIKI WORKS. TUNNEL DRIVEN 4180 FEET. MEETING OF POWER BOARD. (From Our Own Reporter.) Eltham, June 22. Tiie monthly meeting of the Taranaki Electric Power Board was held at Eltham to-day. Present: Messrs. H. G. Carman (chairman), J. T. Belcher, W. V. Harkness, T. R. Anderson, C. E. McGuinness, R. J. Knuckey, W. H. Were, and the engineers (Messrs. H. W. Ciimie and Son). The report of the engineers on the hydro development stated: Main Tunnel. —This tunnel is now driven 4180 feet, having advanced 532 feet during the past month. A considerable quantity of isolated stones have Ibeen met with, the largest being about twenty feet long. The driving is now in soft papa rock carrying seams of sand. The tunnelling machine is now half-way between No. 1 and No. 2 adit. Arrangements are now being made to set up an auxiliary camp at No. 1 adit so that the traffic through the tunnel may be eliminated. It is proposed, as soon as the tunnel is driven to No. 1 adit, to commence on the concrete lining and work backwards towards the outlet. The dome of the surge chamber was excavated in papa rock, and it is proposed to concrete this before the contractor extends the excavation of this underground chamber. Powerhouse.—The additional excavation required for the new site will be completed this week, and a start made on the turbine pit. The crusher has been set up near the powerhouse, and a start has been made to crush metal for the concrete. Most of the pipes have been delivered, and the contractors have made fair progress with the erection. The contractors for the concrete work have completed the bolsters and are now engaged in concreting the bends into the anchor blocks.

Road Maintenance. —Owing to the heavy carting over the Motukawa Road as many as four men have been employed on maintenance work. This month it is proposed to shape up the formation on the Kupara Road. Wet weather during the month has interfered with the progress of the work at the Ratapiko dam and deviation. The contractor has driven the Downes tunnel alb out ten chains, and is in good ground. The report was received. WORK OF RETICULATION. The reticulation report stated: Poles have been erected on Bird Road, completed to Mountain Road; Mountain Road, completed to Nash Road; StuartDalziel Road loop; Ohura Road from .sub-station to Toko; Ohura Road, from sub-station towards Stratford; Waingongoro Road to factory. Wires have been erected on Bird Road, from Mountain Road to Skinner Road; Mountain Road, south of Bird Road; Dudley Road east has been started. Services have been erected on Rawhitiroa Road, Upper Hastings Road, .Opunake-Maiioe Road, Beaconsfield Road. Transformers have been livened up on Flint Road, one; Hastings Road, three; Mahoe Road, three; Piakau Road, one; Beaconsfield Road, two; Mountain Road, Eltham, two; Ratapiko Road,'one. The concrete slabs for the main substations at Eltham and on the Ohura Road have been completed. Earths throughout the system have been consolidated and connected to the neutral conductor. Arrangements have been made with two gangs to erect wires on a piece-work basis. The report was adopted, HOUSE WIRING.

Mr. B. H. Goldsmith, wiring superintendent, reported that there were 411 consumers connected to date, and in ad« dition 23 installations were ready for connection and one authorised. Authority had been given to proceed with motor installation at Pembroke and Waingongoro factories of 15 and 7| h.p. respectively. This work would be put in hand immediately. The group of jobs (including Surrey Road) proposed to be carried out by a sub-contractor included only 16 installations. In order to make the group more attractive he had made a canvass of Rugby Road and Norfolk Road east and west. The result had been considered by the finance committee and Rugby and Norfolk Roads east passed for reticulation, provided arrangements could be made for getting the work done. This ibrolight the number up to 37, with a strong possibility of it being increased to 50 when the work was actually commenced. On that basis he had made arrangements with Messrs. Dobbs Bros., of Wanganui, to undertake the group at the prices 'already quoted to consumers. To expedite house waring, he had handed over a group of 16 consumers on the Upper Hastings Road to Messrs. Ritter and De Launay on similar terms.

After giving the matter careful consideration the superintendent was convinced that the extra cost of reading meters in the country area quarterly, instead of yearly, would be. more than repaid in. simplification of office work and records and in satisfaction to consumers. During the period ending May 31 he had several requests from consumers to take a reading in order to give them an indication of the probable cost of their power. Under the existing system it was quite possible for a consumer who did not fully understand the principle to feel quite satisfied with the cost of power as indicated by his standard quarterly charges, and yet to be in reality piling up a big debit for the end of the year through injudicious use of a stove, radiator or other appliance. Another aspect was that of a consumer leaving the district after having paid two or three quarterly standard charges and yet being still in debt. The engineer said that particularly in

the first year it was advisable to have the meters read at least quarterly if only to give an indication of the amount to be charged. In reply to the chairman, Mr. Goldsmith said the contractors, Messrs. Ritter and De Launay, had already commenced work, and Dobbs. Bros, would start in a week’s time. He assured the board that Surrey Road consumers would have their installations commenced within one week from that day. Replying to Mr. Knuckey, the superintendent said the wiring of houses on the Hunter Road had been handed over to the contractors, and all the houses would be completed in three weeks’ time. The report was adopted. CONVEYANCE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN The Taranaki Education Board advised that they had had a request from settlers on the Motukawa Road for proI vision for the education of their childj ren, of which there were about ten of school age. It was intimated that the board had a motor truck which might Ibe used to convey the children from the Motukawa Road to the Ta rata school. The Education Board asked if the Power Board would undertake the conveyance to Tarata in time to arrive at 9.15 a.m. and leave at 3.45 p.m., and at what price. It was decided to reply that the board had no truck available. OTHER MATTERS. Mr. F. W. Furkert (engineer-in-chiet and Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department) advised that the annual remuneration fixed by the board for its chairman, namely £2OO, was approved. The board’s solicitors advised that the plans with reference to the closing of a portion of the Kapara Road for the purpose of the surge tank site had been prepared and were ready for the consent of the Inglewood County Council. The solicitors pointed out that at a recent conference with the Inglewo’od county representatives, when the ques- • tion of closing this portion of the road i was discussed, it was stipulated by the county that one of the conditions of consent should be the entering into of a covenant by the board that in the event of the county ever forming the read, any increased cost of so doing occasioned by the closing of the portion referred to should be borne by the board. A draft of the proposed deed of covenant was enclosed. —The board approved of the plans and covenant, and the chairman and secretary were authorised to sign them. The chairman and Mr. Harkness were appointed to confer with Messrs. F. E. Wilson and J. Brown, of the New Plymouth Borough Council, with reference to reaching a working arrangement to supply current to a farmer on the west side of the Windsor Road, which road is the boundary between the board’s area and the area supplied from the New Plymouth works. The committee were given power to act.